This invention relates to microelectronic devices and fabrication methods, nitride based compound semiconductor materials and more particularly to gallium nitride semiconductor devices and fabrication methods therefor.
Gallium nitride is being widely investigated for microelectronic devices including but not limited to transistors, field emitters and optoelectronic devices. It will be understood that, as used herein, gallium nitride also includes alloys of gallium nitride such as aluminum gallium nitride, indium gallium nitride and aluminum indium gallium nitride.
A major problem in fabricating gallium nitride-based microelectronic devices is the fabrication of gallium nitride semiconductor layers having low defect densities. It is known that one contributor to defect density is the substrate on which the gallium nitride layer is grown. Accordingly, although gallium nitride layers have been grown on sapphire substrates, it is known to reduce defect density by growing gallium nitride layers on aluminum nitride buffer layers which are themselves formed on silicon carbide substrates. Notwithstanding these advances, continued reduction in density is desirable.
It also is known to produce low defect density gallium nitride layers by forming a mask on a layer of gallium nitride, the mask including at least one opening therein that exposes the underlying layer of gallium nitride, and laterally growing the underlying layer of gallium nitride through the at least one opening and onto the mask. This technique often is referred to as xe2x80x9cEpitaxial Lateral Overgrowthxe2x80x9d (ELO). The layer of gallium nitride may be laterally grown until the gallium nitride coalesces on the mask to form a single layer on the mask. In order to form a continuous layer of gallium nitride with relatively low defect density, a second mask may be formed on the laterally overgrown gallium nitride layer, that includes at least one opening that is offset from the opening in the underlying mask. ELO then again is performed through the openings in the second mask to thereby overgrow a second low defect density continuous gallium nitride layer. Microelectronic devices then may be formed in this second overgrown layer. ELO of gallium nitride is described, for example, in the publications entitled Lateral Epitaxy of Low Defect Density GaN Layers Via Organometallic Vapor Phase Epitaxy to Nam et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. Vol. 71, No. 18, Nov. 3, 1997, pp. 2638-2640; and Dislocation Density Reduction Via Lateral Epitaxy in Selectively Grown GaN Structures to Zheleva et al, Appl. Phys. Lett., Vol. 71, No. 17, Oct. 27, 1997, pp. 2472-2474, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
It also is known to produce a layer of gallium nitride with low defect density by forming at least one trench or post in an underlying layer of gallium nitride to define at least one sidewall therein. A layer of gallium nitride is then laterally grown from the at least one sidewall. Lateral growth preferably takes place until the laterally grown layers coalesce within the trenches. Lateral growth also preferably continues until the gallium nitride layer that is grown from the sidewalls laterally overgrows onto the tops of the posts. In order to facilitate lateral growth and produce nucleation of gallium nitride and growth in the vertical direction, the top of the posts and/or the trench floors may be masked. Lateral growth from the sidewalls of trenches and/or posts also is referred to as xe2x80x9cpendeoepitaxyxe2x80x9d and is described, for example, in publications entitled Pendeo-Epitaxy: A New Approach for Lateral Growth of Gallium Nitride Films by Zheleva et al., Journal of Electronic Materials, Vol. 28, No. 4, Feb. 1999, pp. L5-L8; and Pendeoepitaxy of Gallium Nitride Thin Films by Linthicum et al., Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 75, No. 2, Jul. 1999, pp. 196-198, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Unfortunately, both ELO and pendeoepitaxy may use one or more masks to mask portions of an underlying gallium nitride layer during ELO and/or pendeoepitaxy. These masks may complicate the fabrication process. Moreover, multiple growth steps of gallium nitride may be needed with mask formation therebetween. These multiple growth steps also may complicate the fabrication processes, because the structures may need to be removed from the gallium nitride growth chamber in order to form the mask or masks. Accordingly, notwithstanding the recent advances in ELO and pendeoepitaxy, there continues to be a need for methods of fabricating gallium nitride semiconductor layers that do not need masking layers and/or need not interrupt the gallium nitride growth process.
The present invention provides a substrate including non-gallium nitride posts that define trenches therebetween, wherein the non-gallium nitride posts include non-gallium nitride sidewalls and non-gallium nitride tops, and the trenches include non-gallium floors. These substrates also may be referred to herein as xe2x80x9ctexturedxe2x80x9d substrates. Then, gallium nitride is grown on the non-gallium nitride posts, including on the non-gallium nitride tops. Preferably, gallium nitride pyramids are grown on the non-gallium nitride tops and gallium nitride then is grown on the gallium nitride pyramids. The gallium nitride pyramids preferably are grown at a first temperature and the gallium nitride preferably is grown on the pyramids at a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature. The first temperature preferably is about 1000xc2x0 C. or less and the second temperature preferably is about 1100xc2x0 C. or more. However, other than temperature, the same processing conditions preferably are used for both growth steps. The grown gallium nitride on the pyramids preferably coalesces to form a continuous gallium nitride layer.
Accordingly, gallium nitride may be grown on a textured substrate, without the need to provide masks during the gallium nitride growth process. Moreover, the gallium nitride growth may be performed using the same processing conditions other than temperatures changes. Accordingly, uninterrupted gallium nitride growth may be performed. Simplified processing conditions therefore may be employed to grow a gallium nitride layer having low defect densities, for example defect densities of less than about 105 cmxe2x88x922.
During growth of the gallium nitride pyramids on the non-gallium nitride tops, gallium nitride pyramids also may be simultaneously grown on the non-gallium nitride floors. Moreover, a conformal gallium nitride layer also may be formed simultaneously on the sidewalls, between the gallium nitride pyramids on the non-gallium nitride tops and on the non-gallium nitride floors. Upon growing the gallium nitride on the pyramids, the trenches also may be simultaneously filled with gallium nitride. A conformal buffer layer may be formed on the substrate including on the non-gallium nitride sidewalls, the non-gallium nitride tops and the non-gallium nitride floors, prior to growing the gallium nitride pyramids. For example, a conformal layer of aluminum nitride may be used.
Gallium nitride semiconductor structures therefore may be fabricated, according to the present invention, by providing a textured substrate, including a plurality of non-gallium nitride posts that define trenches therebetween, wherein the non-gallium nitride posts include non-gallium nitride sidewalls and non-gallium nitride tops, and the trenches include non-gallium nitride floors. The substrate preferably is free of masking materials on the non-gallium nitride floors and on the non-gallium nitride tops. Gallium nitride then is grown at a first temperature and the growth of gallium nitride then is continued at a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature. Growth at the second temperature preferably continues until the gallium nitride forms a continuous gallium nitride layer on the substrate.
Gallium nitride semiconductor structures according to the present invention preferably comprise a textured substrate including a plurality of non-gallium nitride posts that define trenches therebetween, the non-gallium nitride posts including non-gallium nitride sidewalls and non-gallium nitride tops, and the trenches including non-gallium nitride floors. A gallium nitride layer is provided on the non-gallium nitride posts including on the non-gallium nitride tops. The gallium nitride semiconductor structure preferably is free of a masking layer on the non-gallium nitride tops and on the non-gallium nitride floors. The gallium nitride layer preferably comprises gallium nitride pyramids on the non-gallium nitride tops. The gallium nitride layer may also include gallium nitride regions on the gallium nitride pyramids. Second gallium nitride pyramids on the non-gallium nitride floors also may be provided. A conformal gallium nitride layer on the sidewalls, between the gallium nitride pyramids and the second gallium nitride pyramids also may be provided. The gallium nitride regions preferably form a continuous gallium nitride layer and the gallium nitride layer also preferably fills the trenches. A conformal buffer layer also may be provided on the substrate wherein the gallium nitride layer is on the conformal buffer layer opposite the substrate.
The present invention most preferably may be used to provide methods of fabricating gallium nitride semiconductor structures that need not include masking or interruptions during gallium nitride epitaxial growth. Accordingly, simplified processes for fabricating gallium nitride semiconductor structures may be provided, to thereby fulfill a need in the fledgling gallium nitride semiconductor industry. However, it also will be understood that the present invention may be used to fabricate non-gallium nitride semiconductor structures wherein a textured substrate of a first material is provided and a second semiconductor material is grown on the posts including on the tops that comprise the first material. Also, semiconductor structures may be provided including a textured substrate that comprises a first material and a layer of second semiconductor material on the posts that comprise the first material.